County Kildare Walking Routes Project - Kildare.ie

County Kildare Walking Routes Project
15. There is a Heritage centre in Athy and a company established to address heritage
issues in the town. There is no direct involvement with the route. Athy does have a
significant number of active community groups and there is a track record of
successful local initiatives.
16. There is a shop, pub, post office and garage at Vicarstown. Athy has all services.
There are picnic tables and seats at Vicarstown and Athy.
17. There is a quality hotel in Athy, The Clanard Court, self catering accommodation
beside the canal at Leinster Lodge and Mill Holiday Homes and approved bed and
breakfast accommodation within 2km of one end of the route in Athy.
18. Athy is a designated heritage town with numerous attractions nearby including the
Heritage Centre in the market square, a heritage town trail, Kilkea Castle, The Gordon
Bennett Memorial at Ardscull and much more.
19. There are several restaurants to choose from in Athy and a selection of pubs that
provide musical evenings.
20. The Royal Canal Way (77 kms), Grand Canal Way (114kms) and Barrow Way
(109kms) are three of the forty eight Great Irish Walks (Waymarked Ways) promoted
in Tourism Ireland’s brochure “Walking in Ireland”. This walk is on the Barrow Way. “A
Walkers Guide to the Canal Towpaths of County Kildare” is out of print.
21. Tour Operators that specialise in Walking Tours report that lowland walking routes, in
spite of heavy promotion including TV coverage, do not attract any bookings. The
market is the independent traveller or the Irish Walking Clubs that look for weekend
breaks.
22. The Barrow Way and Grand Canal way are well advertised on www.ireland.ie and
through that site to http://walks.iwai.ie/grand/ and the www.walkireland.ie sites.
23. Fishing is well promoted along the canal by Waterways Ireland. The recent publication
of a book on cycling the towpaths will generate interest in cycling. Although the canal
bye-laws prohibit swimming in the locks, harbours and docks the locks are attractive to
swimmers because of the deep weed free water. Perhaps selected appropriate areas
could be designated for swimming. The development of towpaths for cycling could be
encouraged along appropriate selected stages while ensuring that motorcycle use is
discouraged in the design of gates. The towpaths are not suitable for pony trekking
because of the physical damage caused. There are opportunities for bird watching,
photography and landscape art along the canals.